Material behaviour along the wire production chain of ZAX210

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal and offers enormous potential for future mobility solutions, where weight reduction is key to improving efficiency and sustainability. However, forming magnesium alloys remains a major challenge due to their hexagonal crystal structure, which limits formability compared to other metals. Complex forming processes, such as extrusion and subsequent steps, are particularly affected by factors like temperature, forming speed, and texture evolution during processing. Recent advances in alloy design have improved magnesiums behavior, with calcium (Ca) as an alloying element showing significant benefits. Building on this, the project will investigate a promising Mg-Zn-Al-Ca alloy (ZAX210) in detail. The goal is to understand its material behavior in complex forming processes and to gain more in-depth knowledge by advanced simulations. A special focus is put on the Conform process, which represents an important intermediate step in forming technology for semi-finished products such as wire drawing. To achieve a holistic understanding, the project combines experimental analysis and simulation of phase and texture evolution during forming. Phase development will be modeled using CALPHAD methods, which are well-established for equilibrium conditions but less applied for industrially relevant non-equilibrium processes related to metal forming. Similarly, texture evolutioncritical for predicting material performancewill be measured and simulated. While texture simulation is possible for simple processes, complex 3D geometries remain a challenge. The approach in this project will therefore be to model the process in full 3D, but to calculate texture only for the most interesting areas of the cross-section. This can be achieved by extracting results along certain flowlines from the process model. AITs role focuses on enhancing simulation capabilities for texture development using VPSC (Visco- Plastic Self-Consistent) models. This will strengthen AITs expertise in material modeling and lay the foundation for industrial-scale applications. Existing know-how from previous projects (Komprex, ZDM, Data-T-Rex) will be leveraged to adapt methods for magnesium forming. The work aligns strategically with AITs research fields Modelling of Materials, Processes and Components and Forming Technologies, with long-term benefits for magnesium and even titanium applications. Expected outcomes include improved simulation tools, scientific publications, and stronger collaborations, particularly with TU Freiberg. These results will advance the understanding of magnesium forming, support the development of next-generation alloys, and broaden the application of VPSC-based simulations in industrial contexts.